Monday, monday ... no QB decision, Sammie still gone, and cries of Coker! Coker! at Reser

MONDAY NIGHT UPDATE ... we've added some quotes to our conversation with goal-line FB Curtis Coker and coach Riley. ... in Tuesday's O., we've got a feature on safety Daniel Drayton, who figures to move into the lineup and replace second-round NFL draft pick Sabby Piscitelli. ... OSU CB Brandon Hughes says Drayton "will be better'' than Sabby. Hard to believe, but there's no disputing the coaches' faith in No. 39, a highly-respected senior who is one of the team leaders on defense. ... ESPN was around at OSU's night-time practice, working on the story about Danny Langsdorf donating a kidney to help change Laurie Cavanaugh's life. Laurie Cavanaugh is the wife of O-line coach Mike Cavanaugh.

CORVALLIS - After Monday morning's practice at Prothro Field, OSU coach Mike Riley had no update on the status of All-American WR/punt returner Sammie Stroughter, who hasn't been around since last Wednesday. ... Monday made it six days in a row with no Sammie. Life goes on for the Beavers, and it hasn't been a huge distraction so much as it has been a major concern.

"Yeah,'' said Riley, "for every player that's not practicing or hurt, you're preparing for the alternative. I don't know any more than what I talked to you about the last time.''

Riley was also undecided (with us) on the other major issue of fall camp, the quarterback tussle between Sean Canfield and Lyle Moevao.

There were indications after Saturday's scrimmage that Riley might pick a No. 1 early this week. Maybe Monday.

Not yet.

It's Canfield! It's Canfield! ... well, actually, OSU coach Mike Riley has not made a decision yet on who his starting quarterback will be for Utah. After Monday morning's practice, Riley said it's still highly possible both will play in the season opener. ... meanwhile, WR Sammie Stroughter was gone for a sixth straight day.

"I thought it was getting closer, but ...'' said Riley.

"We're still giving both a lot of reps, which is good. They're still just rotating even turns.''

Riley said one positive of this dragging out longer is that the coaches feel they have two guys who can play. The Beavers would not be afraid to go with Canfield or Moevao vs. Utah on Aug. 30. And they aren't discounting the possibility of playing both.

"That's literally what we are preparing for right now,'' said Riley.

He talked about how this is a new experience during his two stints at OSU.

"It hasn't hardly ever been like this where it's even and I think they're both capable of playing,'' said Riley. "When Derek was here it was pretty cut and dried how we did the turns. When Matt (Moore) was here it was the same way.

"So this is different, but not bad. ... it might be good.''

DT Curtis Coker got some more attention during and after Monday's workout because of his "Mini Fridge' appearances as blocking FB on short yardage situations.

Coker told us he played NG and center in high school. His motivation to keep pestering Riley about playing on offense, was "helping the team score.''

We asked the Mini Fridge if he really had bugged Riley for two years about being a part-time fullback.

"Two? Probably been about four,'' he said, drawing a big laugh. "I was like, 'hey, goal-line fullback. Put me in!' And he's like, ha ha, OK. ... four years. ... so I didn't even bother to ask him this year. It was like OK, whatever.''

When Riley, a few days ago, talked to Coker FOR REAL about being the team's goal-line fullback, Coker thought it was a put-on.

"He pulled me aside and said, 'hey, goal-line fullback.' And I was like, 'get out of here, coach. Yeah, right. You're messing with me.' And he said, no, they were going to do it, starting (the next day).''

What did Riley see in Coker to warrant the FB experiment?

"Explosion. ... he can come off the ball.''

Riley paid Coker a nice complement about his career in general.

"I'm really proud of him,'' said Riley. "He's one of those guys who made a conscious decision to play, and in order to do that he had to lose something like 40 pounds.

"He's a prototype of what people would say can't play in the Pac-10 but he's not only playing, I think he's playing very well. He makes a lot of stuff happen.''

Our prediction ... DT Curtis Coker will score a touchdown (or two) this season on a goal-line play. He may even catch a touchdown pass. Coker told us Monday he thought coach Mike Riley was just joking around when Riley said he was finally going along with Coker's idea to become a goal-line fullback.

No doubt, there will be chants of "Coker! Coker! during games at Reser this season, every time the ball is near the goal line.

Coker said learning a few plays on offense has been pretty easy, "it's not that bad. I get a little brain fart here and there. My technique's a little off.''

OSU has a play designed where the QB fakes to Coker, who goes out for a pass. "We've run it, but they haven't thrown it to me,'' said Coker, who actually has pretty soft hands for a defensive tackle. "Sean's looked at me a couple times,'' said Coker.

Riley also talked about the recruitment of true freshman WR James Rodgers, the entertaining 5-7 speedster from Texas and also true frosh WR Darrell Catchings of Escondido, Calif. ..."those are two very interesting guys,'' said Riley.

Injuries to DE Dorian Smith (headaches), DT Gerard Lee (back spasms) and LB Derrick Doggett (shoulder) are not deemed serious, said Riley, and those players should be back soon.

As the players streamed into the Valley Center for lunch, they were in time to see a shakedown of the giant replay screen at Reser (largest in the Pac-10) ... some players wondered why the game being shown was a blowout loss to UCLA, but the picture looked good (not high-def, however) and that thing is definitely going to be a hit this season.